The University of New Hampshire will celebrate Pollinator Appreciation Day Wednesday, June 17, 2015, with a full afternoon and evening of events at the Woodman Horticultural Research Farm, home to the UNH Bee Hotel, extensive wildflower plantings, and a central research site for the first assessment of the Granite State’s native bee species.

The afternoon begins with Pollinator Open House from 1 to 3 p.m. Attendees will learn about bee diversity and sustainability, bee gardens, wildflower meadows for pollinators, and protecting pollinators from pesticides.

Following the open house, agricultural scientists conducting NHAES-funded research will discuss their ongoing research at Woodman Farm as part of a Research Field Day for growers, from 3 to 5:30 p.m. Research to be discussed includes overwintering onions, growing hardy kiwis, planting cover crops, growing different varieties of tomatoes, and using marker-assisted breeding to improve strawberries.

The day concludes with a Twilight Meeting for farmers and landscapers from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the farm. Topics include native bee diversity and nesting habitats, bee gardens, wildflower meadows, protecting bees from pesticides, and NRCS pollinator programs for New Hampshire farms.

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Seacoast Eat Local connects people with sources of locally grown foods and advocates eating locally for the health of our environment, community, culture and economy. Through advocacy, organizing and education, we work toward a sustainable local food system that meets the needs of both producers and consumers.